


The Angels Forgive

by HinnyBellarkeSwan



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 3x22 AU, Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 12:37:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21208658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HinnyBellarkeSwan/pseuds/HinnyBellarkeSwan
Summary: Clary remembered Jace that night in the alley. They were about to find out why.





	The Angels Forgive

“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” 

The question sent Jace Herondale’s mind racing. She wasn’t supposed to remember him, for her safety. 

No matter how much it hurt, he tried to deny it but she didn’t buy it. “No I do, I definitely do. I…” She stared at him hard and then she said his name. The voice that hadn’t spoken his name, that he hadn’t heard speak it in a year, said his name. 

“You’re Jace. Right?” He felt hope bloom where a few hours ago, with Simon, he had only felt despair. “Yeah, uh, yeah I’m Jace.” He couldn’t hold back the smile, especially when one of her own bloomed in response. 

“Uh, I’m Clary…” She trailed off her smile dimming as she stared at him, studying him. He hadn’t felt that gaze in so long. Then her hand came up to a rune, peeking from his shirt collar. 

“Ahh, I see that it is working.” 

Jace whipped around, arm in front of Clary, staring at the woman who had spoken from behind him. The woman stepped into a street light, her hands up. “I mean you no harm, Jace Herondale. I am here to ensure that it was done.” 

As she spoke soft hands touched his shoulders. “Jace?” The question in her voice made him turn but the Clary that was staring at him moments ago was gone. She was staring at him in shock. “How... I wasn’t supposed to…” 

It hit him then. She remembered, really remembered. “Clary, you…” Her smile was wide and teary. “I remember, I remember everything.” 

He tugged her into his arms, her lithe body melting into him as it used to. Her arms slid around his waist and he buried a hand in her hair, the other clutching her to him. “By the angel…” 

“Yes, by the angels.” They both separated, staring at the woman who was still behind him. 

Then Clary gasped. “You're an angel, aren’t you?” 

The woman stepped further into the light, nodding. “Yes, Clarissa, I am. I have come to ensure that you're memories were restored.” The woman was clearly beautiful. It was easy now, for him to classify her as something else, something otherworldly. 

“But how? I thought that…” 

“The angel Raziel and the others were furious at Ithuriel, for granting you powers beyond what a Nephilim should possess. Some of us, however, understood that it was necessary. To end the tyranny of pain and misery that Valentine Morgenstern was creating. Especially when it seemed that you were using the runes he gifted to you to save others.” 

Jace watched as Clary’s eyes fell closed. “Until Valentine.” The angelic woman nodded again. 

“Yes. You raising Valentine Morgenstern from the dead was the final straw. Your powers had to be stopped. So the angels commanded your mother to send you a warning. It took some time for it to get through because you were connected to your brother, and then you left this plane to destroy another realm.” 

Clary’s mouth fell open, as did his own to protest but the angel held up a hand. “Your mother told you to cease using the runes you created. You obeyed the order for less than a few hours. And then you heard of Jonathan Morgenstern’s attacks. You knew the consequences the moment you made the choice to face him. Did you not?” 

Clary nodded. “I did. I knew that it was the only way to end the death and destruction. He would not have stopped, and there was no cell or prison on earth that would hold him. I did what I had to do, knowing that it would likely mean that the angels would be angry.” 

“Yes, you did. You gave up your happiness, you're family,” she gestured to him, “your love, to save the Nephilim world, the mundane world, from your brother.” 

The angel stepped closer, smiling softly. “You have always been special, Clarissa Morgenstern. From you're birth onward it was clear to us that you possess great talent. Latent, until you ran into Mr. Herondale that fated night.” 

Brilliant blue eyes met his. “You're own life was not easy, Mr. Herondale. Some of us knew that you would not accept the sentence we passed.” He looked away, but soft hands, those of the angel, guided his eyes up once more. 

“Do not be ashamed of the love that you possess Jace Herondale. That love has saved you many times.” The angel took one of his hands and one of Clary’s. 

“You have both sacrificed, time and again, so that the shadow world, your world, could be safe. When Clarrissa put an end to the demon Jonathan Morgenstern, many of the angels felt her debt had been repaid. She may have brought a man back from the dead, but she killed him again, and she killed the monster he created.” 

The angel’s eyes fell closed, even as she held their hands. “There were those who still felt the warning had to be met.” Her eyes opened, meeting Clary’s rather than his. “I am ashamed to admit, Clarissa, that many of my brothers are rather old fashioned and tend to react first and think later. Much like mortal men.” 

That startled a laugh from Clary, earning her a small smile from the angel. “It has taken us this long to vote against Raziel’s actions. I came here tonight to ensure that you were given your memories back and that no harm came to you while that occurred.” 

“So I can really go back?” 

The woman smiled. “Yes, you are allowed to return to your Nephilim life. You, Clarissa Fairchild, were destined for this life. No matter how your mother tried to fight it, no matter how you're enemies tried to taint it. You are a true Nephilim, a true hero. You made the ultimate sacrifice so that so many of our flock could live in peace. This was our mistake to fix, and we saw that it was.” 

Jace gulped, his eyes landing back on Clary, her brilliant green eyes meeting his own. “You can come home.” 

“Yes, she can. But first.” The woman’s hold on both their hands tightened, her blue eyes falling closed. A moment passed and brilliant white light passed over the trio before the alley returned to normal and the grip fell away. 

“What was that?” 

“That, my dears, was protection. No angel, no matter their name, rank or title, may take from you what has already once been stolen. I have granted you both protection from my brethren. I do not fear that you will abuse this power. Not after all that I have seen you two do.” 

The angel stepped away, turning to leave them, as his hand found Clary’s. 

“Wait!” 

Both he and the angel faced her once more. “Tell my mother I love her, and I am sorry for not heading her warning.” The angel nodded, but Clary wasn’t done. “Thank you. May I know the name of my guardian angel?” 

“Ithuriel was right. You are indeed special.” The angel smiled at Clary, before her wings appeared, startling them both. “My name, Clarissa, is Eden. I am no guardian angel, but if you ever have a need for me, close your eyes and think of my name and I shall come to your aide.”

With that, the angel took her leave, another brilliant column of white light, much like when they had freed Ithuriel flashed around them before darkness reigned once more.

His heart was racing as he turned to face her. A beaming smile met his eyes and a matching one soon dawned on his face. He picked her up and spun her around, joy crashing through him. She was here, she knew who he was, she was okay, and she got to stay. 

“Jace, I want to see them. All of them. I want to know everything that has happened in the last year. Can we please go home?” 

“Of course, Clary. Let’s go home.”

As he led her back to the Institute Jace sent a message to their family, asking them to meet him in the park in front of the Institute. And then he filled her in on the missing year.

***  
When Jace saw the church tower rising in the distance he paused. “Jace?” 

“I’m fine, just,” he turned back to her, cupping her head. “I want one more minute before we have to explain all this to our family. They will think it my doing, at first.” 

Clary’s head fell to the side in question and he sighed. “It pained them, all of them, to leave you alone, to not drop in. I…” Her small hand cupped his cheek and he leaned into the familiar, much-missed comfort she always provided. 

“I would have done the same for you. We will tell them together.” 

She leaned up, “but first…” She tugged gently on his face, guiding him forward and he went willingly. His lips slid over hers, and for the first time in a year, he felt true peace. 

They kissed for a few moments more before she pulled away and he could see she was eager to return to their family. He chuckled and took her hand, guiding her over the final hill, toward home. 

He could see them all, assembled in a loose circle in the park, close to the doors to his home. Shock, confusion and a little anger swept over their faces when they caught sight of him and who was at his side. 

Clary read their reactions as well and dropped his hand. Instead, she raced toward Luke. “Luke!” She threw herself into the arms of the former werewolf who was frozen in shock before his arms gripped her back. “Kiddo. You remember?” 

Clary pulled away only enough to meet his eyes and nod. Then she attempted to apologize. “I am so sorry I never got to say goodbye.” The man just pulled her back into his arms as the others stared at her in shock. 

Then all eyes turned to him. “What did you do?” There was no accusation in his parabati’s tone, but confusion and wonder. “It wasn’t me brother.” 

In front of them, Simon hovered behind her until she let go of Luke. Then she turned and her water smile was enough. That and her breathless “Simon.” The vampire grinned and quicker than even his eyes could follow, the vampire had Clary in his arms, spinning her around as he had. “Fray! You remember! How? What?” 

Clary’s laugh washed over them all as they all continued to look back and forth between them. Izzy moved to place a gentle hand on Simon’s back. “Let her breathe Si.” The vampire smiled at his girlfriend and released Clary, who was immediately tugged into his sister’s arms. 

“Thank the angel. I missed you.” Clary’s tears couldn’t be held at bay any longer. “I missed you to Iz.” She pulled away, smiling at them all through her tears. “I missed you all, even when I didn’t know what or who it was that I was missing. I could feel something wrong.” 

“Oh Biscuit.” Clary’s watery eyes fell on Magnus, who let go of is husband’s hand to hug her next. They all heard it as she whispered, “Thank you for what you did.” 

The warlock pulled away, a soft smile on his face. As indulgent as it ever had been in Clary’s presence. “I would never have let you go without ensuring you were well set my dear. Never.” 

Clary laughed. “Well my penthouse apartment my mysterious, never before met uncle left me, along with the wealth he possessed, made me a very different art student at the Brooklyn Academy.” 

Alec chuckled when he realized what his husband had done, the others following suit. Magnus simply shrugged, smiling at the girl he had often doted on in the many years he had known her. 

“What happened Clary? How is this possible?” Ever the inquisitive one, Alec needed to know the answers. 

Clary held out a hand to Jace, and he took it. Once he was at her side the others faced them in a half-circle, coming together to hear what they had to say. 

Clary leaned back, leaning her weight against him and he could feel how tired she was, but she smiled up at him, then at their family. 

“This was the angels' forgiveness.”

Jace nodded. “Clary and I saw an angel tonight. Clary has been forgiven. The angels have gifted her the memories they stole and vowed to leave her, leave us in peace. She can return to Nephilim life.” 

The others all had various looks of joy on their faces and no smile was brighter than Clary’s. 

“The angels work in mysterious ways, but I am grateful that they brought me home.” 

***

And so Clarrissa Morgenstern returned to her proper life as a Nephilim. She was granted permission to rejoin the Shadowhunters of the New York Institute, Alec pulling many strings to help her get there. 

She was linked with Isabelle Lightwood, the pair becoming another notable parabatai duo when in the field. 

She and Magnus often spent time visiting whenever their busy schedules would allow, and she and Jace attended dinner at his and Alec’s place every other week, keeping in touch. 

She and Simon spent a lot of time catching up. He showed her Taki’s, where Maia greeted her with a hug and a smile, before asking her to try her namesake. 

Clary’s life was able to go back to normal, and a year after her return, she and Jace once again traveled back to the alley where she had been given a second chance at life. 

Once there, Jace watched her trail her hand along the building he had found her in that night. “Do you miss it?” 

His beautiful girlfriend faced him, red hair cascading down her back, back to the style she used to have it in. She shook her head. “No. I was never able to be content in that life.” She smiled at him softly. “But I am content now.” 

Jace grinned at her in return. “Good, then I have a question for you.” He got down on one knee, taking her hand in his. Her eyes widened, the other hand rising to cover her mouth in shock. 

“Clarissa Morgenstern, Clary Fairchild, Clary Fray. All of those names belong to you, all of them are a piece of the woman I love. When Eden returned you to me, I vowed to never waste this second chance we were given. So, will you marry me, Clary? Spend our lives fighting for our love? For our family and our happiness?” 

Her eyes watered but she did not cry. His strong woman just squeezed his hand, her other falling to grasp it as well. “Yes. Yes, Jace, I will.” 

He grinned up at her before removing his family ring from his neck and slipping it onto her finger. It fit perfectly. 

Clary tugged him up and kissed him and at that moment, Jace knew. Everything was right in the world. After all the angels forgave and he and his love got their happy ending.


End file.
